HYDERABAD: Thousands of midday meal workers who prepare and serve meals to children in government schools across Telangana, staged a dharna on Wednesday in front of the Commissioner and Directorate of School Education office in Hyderabad, demanding the fulfilment of their long-pending demands.
These include the payment of overdue bills, an increase in their monthly honorarium from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000, and additional funds to meet the revised meal menu. Police later took several midday meal workers into custody.
The protesters pointed out that while the School Education department had sanctioned Rs 51 crore last week, the amount has not yet been credited to their bank accounts. They also highlighted that over Rs 70 crore worth of egg bills have been pending for the past 10 months. Moreover, midday meal workers have not been paid their salaries for the last five months.
“The government’s budgetary allocation doesn’t even cover the cost of two eggs. With egg bills pending for 10 months, how long can workers survive on debt?” one protester asked. “We’ve been running from pillar to post, but our pleas are falling on deaf ears.”
The workers also raised concerns about pressure from officials to implement a revised meal menu, including ragi java and two additional curries, without increasing the existing budget. “There isn’t enough money to manage the old menu, let alone a new one. Unless an additional budget is allocated, this is impossible,” a protester said.
Speaking to TNIE, Telangana Midday Meal Workers Union general secretary SV Rama said, “We are tired of complaining to officials about the unpaid egg bills and five months’ pending salaries. Each time we raise the issue, we are given false assurances that the money will be credited soon. During the previous Assembly elections, the Congress promised in its manifesto to raise our salaries to Rs 10,000 per month. That has not happened yet. We still receive Rs 3,000, and even that is irregular.”
Shanti, a midday meal worker, echoed the frustration. “We’ve been requesting the officials to clear the dues till July. But because we haven’t been paid, we are forced to serve only rice and dal, which is not in line with the prescribed menu.”
Attempts by TNIE to get an official response from the School Education department went unanswered.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, district education officers were directed to make alternative arrangements to ensure that mid-day meals are provided to students without disruption.